Chelsie Savage's Sanctum Cafe serves diners who demand more than just food that tastes good

Chelsie Savage started a nutrition consulting business to change people's perceptions about healthy eating, but after witnessing food movements in major cities across North America, Savage felt a need to do more. "I spent a lot of time traveling – New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Austin, Vancouver, Boulder – and was super inspired by the movement around healthy food in these communities, so much so that I considered moving. But then I thought, rather than leaving and going to a city that inspired me, why not bring what inspired me to the community I love?"

And so went the genesis of the Sanctum Café, hands down the finest vegan/vegetarian restaurant in the city and one that's wowed many a meat-eater. Savage senses an "awakening" among food-conscious diners who demand more from restaurants than just food that tastes good, and Sanctum meets those demands.

"Our community is becoming healthier and they want to know where their food comes from, what it's made of, and its impact on their health and the environment," Savage says. "They want to feel good about the choices they're making, and that's what they get when they dine with us." It's clear Savage holds herself and her patrons to a higher standard, and their overwhelming response serves as further affirmation that she's found a need and filled it. —FK